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Impaired object manipulation in mildly involved individuals with multiple sclerosis
Vennila Krishnan1, Paulo Barbosa de Freitas, Slobodan Jaric
1Department of Health, Nutrition, and Exercise Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA.
Motor Control
|January 23, 2008
Summary
Multiple sclerosis patients show early hand function deficits, specifically in controlling grip and load forces. These impairments in multiple sclerosis (MS) may precede more significant motor control issues.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Biomechanics
- Rehabilitation Science
Background:
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) can affect hand function, impacting daily activities.
- Early detection of subtle hand motor control deficits is crucial for timely intervention in MS.
- Understanding the specific mechanisms of hand impairment in early MS is essential for developing targeted therapies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate hand motor control in patients with early-stage multiple sclerosis (MS) during object manipulation tasks.
- To compare the force control and coordination abilities between MS patients and healthy individuals.
- To assess the sensitivity of an instrumented device for detecting mild hand function impairments in MS.
Main Methods:
- Employed an instrumented device to analyze static and dynamic hand manipulation tasks in 16 mildly involved MS patients (Expanded Disability Status Scale 1-5) and 16 healthy controls.
- Measured grip force (G) and load force (L) exertion and coordination during tasks.
- Evaluated grip-load force coupling and grip modulation in relation to load force.
Main Results:
- MS patients exhibited impaired ability to exert prescribed load force patterns compared to controls.
- An elevated grip/load force ratio was observed in MS patients, indicating potential overgripping.
- Grip and load force coupling and modulation remained comparable between groups, suggesting specific force control deficits.
- No significant MS-specific effects were found when switching between uni- and bimanual tasks or altering visual feedback.
Conclusions:
- Deterioration in precise external force control and overgripping may be early indicators of hand dysfunction in multiple sclerosis (MS).
- These deficits may precede the decoupling of grip and load forces and reduced grip modulation in early MS.
- The instrumented methodology shows promise for detecting subtle hand function impairments in MS and other neurological conditions.
